By Tom Degun in Singapore

August 12 - Britain's former modern pentathlon star Georgina Harland (pictured) has admitted that she is excited about what lies in store for her after being selected as a Singapore 2010 Athlete Role Models (ARMs) for the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games which start here on Saturday (August 14).



The ARMs are Olympians selected by their international federation taking part in the Youth Olympic Games as well as by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission and have been chosen because it is claimed they exemplify the Olympic values both on and off the field of play.

There are a total of 47 ARMs for Singapore 2010 with 30 representing the 26 sports on show at the Games and the remaining 17 made up of members of the IOC Athlete’s Commission, including British bob skeleton star Adam Pengilly.

The role of the ARMs is to mentor the 3,600 young athletes who are expected to attend the Youth Olympics and answer their questions.

Harland, who won a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, is the athlete selected to represent modern pentathlon and the only British ARM besides Pengilly.

After retiring from her sport last year following a string of injuries, Harland is looking forward to be taking on a new role in sharing her Olympic experience with the youngsters at the Games.

Harland told insidethegames: "In terms of being briefed about the role, I have had my programme through about what I’ll be getting involved with so I think there is an adventure island that I’ll go to and I’m going to visit a school to speak to some kids there so loads of different things throughout the time I am there.

"Obviously alongside that, my role will be to be around the athletes, chat to them and just being there to be able to answer their questions.

"I hope that I have the answers but if I don’t, I’ll certainly find somebody who does.

"Part of what I’ll be telling them is just to enjoy the experience.

"There is so much else going on around you when you’re at an Olympics and there are so many different people and so many different sports so you must just enjoy that.

"However, when it comes to competing, you must just strip all of that away and concentrate on doing your job and doing what you are good at."

Harland added that she is very honoured to be chosen to be an ARM and looking forward to experiencing the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

She said: "On a personal level, it’s going to be fantastic.

"To be part of this and to have this opportunity is great and there is a lot for me to learn in Singapore as well.

"Yes I hope that I’ll represent Great Britain and obviously modern pentathlon well but it will great just to watch all the guys competing and having this amazing opportunity makes me wish that I was 14-to-18-years-old again so I could compete in them!"

As well as Harland, Britain’s bob skeleton Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams is heading to the Youth Olympics to help prepare the Britain’s young athletes competing at the Games.

However, Williams is not travelling as an official ARM as Harland is and therefore Winter Olympic star will be spending her time helping with the British team while Harland will be travelling to Singapore.

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